The detection and identification of microorganisms are important for health maintenance and diagnostic care. Current detection and identification procedures are based on culturing the organisms. Such procedures are labor intensive and time consuming and require skilled personnel and special equipment.
The detection and differentiation of fungi from bacteria are generally performed by growth enrichment techniques in selective culture media, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,580 (issued February 20, 1979 to Gibson et al). This reference teaches the use of specific components in the culture media that inhibit the growth of bacterial organisms while yeast and fungi continue to grow and are detected by a subsequent color change.
However, the procedures of the art, including that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,580, require 12 to 18 hours for completion. This lost time may be critical to the proper treatment of illnesses, or to the adjustment of manufacturing processes. It would be highly desirable to have a rapid process for identifying fungi which is simple to use and can be readily automated.